WAR, containment and animal metaphors in slave narratives

Abstract EN

This study analyzes and compares between two slave narrative protagonists in their conceptualization of the metaphors of WAR, CONTAINMENT and ANIMAL.

More specifically, it aims at revealing whether the cultural background of each writer affects her conceptualization of such concepts.

The two ex-slave writers are Zana Muhsen, the i protagonist of Sold: A Story of Modern-Day Slavery and Mende Nazer, the protagonist of Slave: My True Story.

The study also investigates the emergent Self-Concept as revealed through the use of conceptual metaphors and how both protagonists are different from each other in their selfconceptualization.

The study concludes a number of findings.

First, it has been found that both ex-slave writers use WAR metaphors in such a way as to reflect how they conceptualize themselves as DEFEATED WARRIORS and how they conceptualize the whole slavery experience in terms of A LOST WAR.

Second, the analysis of the data reveals that both protagonists use CONTAINMENT metaphors in a way that reflect cultural differences.

Third, their use of the ANIMAL metaphors also reveals cultural differences between both protagonists.

Finally, the study also concludes that the writers' use of the different conceptual metaphors helps in uncovering their Self-Concept.